“I told you about my friend Dexter. You remember?”
“Yeah.”
“His life is in danger. I want you to provide him security.”
“Okay, I’ll ask Leo to do that. But who is after him?”
I glide my hand over my face. “Your Leo. That fucking psycho is after his life.”
He laughs. What else can you expect from a man who himself isn’t far behind Matleon in having a fucked-up head?
“Sorry, Lyn. No one can save him if Leo has decided he wants him dead.”
“Why not? Aren’t we the rulers of Russia? Can’t you fight for him for me?”
“I can fight the world for you, but even if we start a war, he will still kill that friend of yours if he has made up his mind. Haven’t you heard the famous saying about him?”
I grit my teeth. I’ve heard every saying about him, and despite trying to forget them, each one is locked permanently in my memory. But the saying Kaz is talking about can’t be forgotten by anyone who knows what he has done.
He was only twenty-one when the mafia king of Germany insulted him slightly at a gathering by saying, “Boys don’t know what power is.” Matleon just smiled and told him he wouldkill him in his own house, and that he could use any amount of power to stop him. And he did. He killed him in his own house, raised a war between countries, and then ended it using his unparalleled manipulation skills within a month because he wanted peace. Now Germany has a puppet ruler working for him.
That’s when the saying became famous.Matleon gets what he wants, whether it’s peace or war.
Kaz’s voice pulls me out of my thoughts. “But why does he want to kill him?”
“Because he thinks he likes me, and he thinks he should kill every man I care about.”
Kaz laughs again. “Stop laughing. It’s not funny,” I hiss under my breath.
“I’m sorry,” he says, still amused. “I was just imagining Leo burning in jealousy.”
I sigh, exhaustion settling into my bones. “If fighting him is useless, then try talking him out of this madness. At least make him understand that I don’t like him and I will never return his feelings. Matleon can’t get everything he wants.”
“Can’t guarantee the second part,” he says honestly, “but I’ll try my best to keep your friend alive.”
chapter 8
Iselyn
I come out of my room after changing. He is sitting in the living room; Avi is nowhere in sight.
“Where is Avi?” I ask, walking towards him.
He gets up from the couch. “She’s gone with her security.”
“Then why are you here?” I frown.
He tilts his head to the side. “I ate your breakfast, now I’m feeling guilty. I want to bring you breakfast,” he says sincerely.
Such a good man.
“No need,” I say, advancing to the door.
He follows me outside to the elevator area. I press the button for the ground floor on the elevator system screen; it asks me to wait for the third. Soon after, Eva and Parth arrive. They are a husband and wife in their mid-forties who live in the apartment opposite mine. I have a hi-hello kind of relationship with them, and I smile when they smile at me.
Matleon stands leaning against the wall, watching me without even attempting to hide his stare, even when we are not alone. I don’t think this man knows any manners. His mother and father are such good people, who did he take after?
Eva looks toward Matleon and smiles at me. “Your boyfriend seems quite smitten by you,” she chuckles. “Can’t even take his eyes off you.”
